Car-coupling.



No. 658,37l. Patented Sept. 25, I900.

E HIEN CAR COUPLING.

(Apphcahon filed my 20 1897 -2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

rrn STATES ATENT OFFICE.

EUGENE HIEN, OF MUNOIE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO DAVID S. WEGG, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 658,371, dated September 25, 1900.

Application filed May 20, 1897. Serial No. 637,313. (No model.)

To LtZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EUGENE=HIEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Muncie, county of Delaware, State of Indiana, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Car-Couplers; and I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

Experience in the operation of trains equipped with the type of coupler known as the Janney or Master Oar-Builders type has demonstrated that while the trains are being operated or are running the mechanism of the couplers while the trains are so running becomes changed from a locked to an unlocked position, so as to allow the parting of the cars or train, commonly known as breaking in two.

My invention consists in what I will designate a lock to a lock or a supplemental lock. Its object is to lock the locking mechanism in a locked position and to absolutely retain the same in that position while the cars are being operated or run upon the road. By my mechanism I prohibit unlocking while 0 in service, or the so-called break in twos', and only allow the coupler to be unlocked by the operator.

I have shown my invention more particularly in connection with the patent issued to P. Hien, June 4, 1892, No. 476,958; but it is obvious that my invention might be adapted to other styles of coupler-locking mechanism.

' In the drawings, Figure l is a vertical section with parts in elevation. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section, with parts in elevation, of my coupler. Fig. 3 is a detail of the doggingblock. Fig. 4 is a vertical section, with parts in elevation, showing the knuckle in uncoupled position. v

5 In carrying out my invention, A represents the usual head on which the operative parts are carried, 13 the usual pivoted knuckle, and O the rotary dogging-block adapted to rotate on the pivot D and adapted to drop in front E represents the vertically-movable pin,

"tion B adapted when lifted to rotate the block, and thus throw it to its unlocking position.

The operation of the parts just described is clearly set forth in the patent above alluded to and a detailed description will not be necessary. Suflice it to say that when the pin E is lifted it rotates the block 0 and throws it up, so that the tail B of the knuckle, when the latter is swung, will clear the block, and thus allow the knuckle to swing to the position shown by dotted lines, Fig. 2.

' I will now describe the improvement as applied to the construction set forth in the Hien patent.

On the face of the block 0, adjacent to the pin E, is a projection C. It is preferably, although not necessarily, made more or less hook-shaped, as shown in Fig. 1. On the pin E is a more or less hook-shaped projection E. On the tail of the knuckle is a projec- These two projections O and E, cooperating together, constitute my lockto the look, while the tail of the knuckle and its projection B assist in the effective operation of the parts, as hereinafter described. Their operation is as follows: Supposing the dogging-block O is in the position shown by full lines, Fig. 1. It is then in front of and in position to lock the knuckle B. When in 8 0 this position, the projection E is opposite the projection O on the dogging-block and any tendency of the dogging-block to rotate on its pivot will throw the projection O against the projection E, and thus prevent said rotation. Because of the more or less hooked shape of the two projections the more pressure the projection O exerts on the projection E the more the pin E will be .crowded down. Thus the dogging-block is dogged or locked in its dogging or looking position until the pin E is raised. When this occurs, there is sufficient space between the projection E on the pin, which strikes the face O on the locking-block to lift it, to enable the projec- 95 tion E to clear the projection O, and a continued lifting of the pin rotates the block and throws it up, so that it clears the tail of the knuckle and allows the latter to swing in its unlocking position.

In order to prevent the block when the knuckle is in its unlocked position or out ward position from falling behind the tail of the knuckle and being locked in this position by the projection E on the pin, I provide the projection B on the tail of the knuckle. 'lhis projection, even when the knuckle is in its outward or unlocked position, remains underging mechanism from moving to its locked position.

It is obvious that the shape of the projections 0, E, and B might be altered without departing from the spirit of my invention. They might be simply shoulders, or the parts might be so shaped that there would be no projection from the main body of each part; but the body of anyone or more parts might be arranged and shaped to come into contact with the body of the other part, and by the term projection, which I use in my specification and claims, I of course mean any contact-point on either part adapted to bear upon a contact-point on the other part.

What I claim is-- 1. In a canconpler the combination with a knuckle, its looking or dogging device, and mechanism for operating the locking device, of engaging mechanism between said locking device and operating mechanism, said engaging mechanism fixed with respect to the part to which it is attached and adapted to prevent t-he movement of the locking device to its unlocked position until after the operating mechanism is moved, substantially as described.

2. In a car-coupler the combination with a knuckle, its locking or dogging device and mechanism for operating the locking device, of a projection on the locking device adapted to engage a projection on the operating mechanism when the locking device is in its locked position whereby said engagement will prevent a movement of the locking device until the operating mechanism is moved, substantially as described.

3. In a car-coupler the combination with the knuckle, its looking or dogging device, and mechanism for operating the locking device, of a hooked projection on said locking device adapted to engage a hooked projection on said operating mechanism whereby the locking device is held from movement until the operating mechanism is first moved, substantially as described.

4. In a car-coupler the combination with the knuckle, its locking device in the form of a rotary block, and its operating mechanism in the form of a vertically-movable pin, of a projection on the rotary block adapted when the block is in its locked position to engage a projection on the pin whereby the block is prevented from rotating until the pin has been moved to clear the two projections, substantially as described.

5 In a car-coupler the combination with the knuckle, its looking or dogging device and mechanism for operating the locking device, of engaging mechanism betweensaid locking device and operating mechanism,

said engaging mechanism fixed with respect to the part to which it is attached and adapted to prevent the movement of the lockingdevicc to its unlocked position until after the operating mechanism is moved, and means to prevent said locking device from moving to its locked position except when the knuckle is in its coupling position, substantially as described.

6. In a car-coupler the combination with the knuckle, its looking or dogging device and mechanism for operating the locking device, of a projection on the locking device adapted to engage a projection on the operating mechanism when the locking device is in its locked position whereby said engagement will prevent a movement of the looking device until the operating mechanism is moved and a projection on the tail of the knuckle adapted to prevent the locking device from moving to its locked position until the knuckle is in its coupling position, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

EUGENE HIEN.

Witnesses:

WM. I-I. HIOKMAN, J osnrn V. MARTIN. 

